It certainly looks like the efforts of Donald Trump’s top professional campaign adviser to make him more “presidential” have failed.
Only a few weeks being brought on for his expertise in presidential campaigns, Paul Manafort is already on the outs with his candidate. He was brought in by the Trump campaign to help transform the GOP front-runner from crowd-pleasing cult figure to someone of more traditional presidential stock. Politico and others are now reporting that Trump has rejected Manafort’s suggestions in favor of his own free-wheeling ways.
Trump has simultaneously attracted and disgusted millions of voters during the primary season with his extreme populist message and derogatory comments towards women, minorities, and the disabled. While that toxic mix has worked thus far with GOP voters, Manafort is among many political operatives who feel Trump needs to tone down such rhetoric.
In a recent meeting with RNC officials in Florida, Manafort was secretly recorded indicating Trump was prepared to do just that.
“He [Trump] gets it,” Manafort said, and “the part that he’s been playing is evolving into the part that now you’ve been expecting, but he wasn’t ready for because he had to first feed the first phase.”
Although Manafort may have been within his perceived authority to speak for his candidate, Donald Trump continues to prove that he doesn’t want to listen to anyone.
Following his primary victories in five states on Tuesday night, Trump unleashed a new line of attack on Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. Consistent with his disregard for females, Trump attributed Clinton’s success in earning millions of primary votes to her gender.
Not only has Trump disregarded Manafort’s advice, it appears the veteran operative will no longer have Trump’s ear either. Sources inside the campaign indicate that Corey Lewandowski is resuming many top responsibilities while Manafort’s role is being diminished.
Of course, Lewandowski has his own spotty history that brings into question his judgement and character. Long before reporter Michelle Fields accused him of assault, Lewandowski had a well-earned reputation for being a sexist oaf who had a pattern of bullying his co-workers.
In the end, Donald Trump is going to continue to be Donald Trump. If it’s an act or “persona,” he’s not willing to let it go. He sure isn’t going to be coached by anyone about how to be more “presidential.”
